Ambitus

Chapter 5: What the Waters May Wash Away

We Really Didn't Mean To Kill These People

18

JUN/11

Gambit made his way over to the group and asked them for their help. Hesitant to do so, the group listened to his proposition. Gambit told them of the Orc Kingdom that lay in the distance… home to the same tribe of Orcs that were hunting them down. He told them of the Dwarven Dam that was situated above the village, and how opening the dam would flood the kingdom and “wash them away,” thereby ceasing any future attacks. Hesitant to believe him, the adventurers packed their supplies and donned their winter garb, setting of for the village of orcs.

After a week of travel, the group arrived at the Dwarven Dam. A large stone wheel sat on the ledge overlooking the orc camp a mile or so below, and as they turned it, the floodgates opened, releasing a torrent of water, the distant sound of screams filled the icy air and the group couldn’t help but feel as if something were not right. Contemplation, however, was short, for the very waters they themselves had released, now cut off their only safe avenue of escape. With no means of going back, our heroes ventured into the black foreboding depths of Silver Reach.

Within the water works of Silver Reach,they discovered the resting place of five adventurers, known to the group as the Five Heroes of Ambitus. Knowing that they were on their trail, and believing the Alchemist’s brother had been through here as well, they continued on, braving dark chambers and unknown dangers, such as floors that gave way to pits of spikes or rooms with fake doors that filled with water – trapping unsuspecting adventurers (Brazeloin). After much walking, they eventually found themselves in what seemed like the longest, darkest hall they had ever come across.

The group arrived in a room filled with great, colossal, mechanical gears On a altar in the room sat a large blue crystal. Upon investigation, Brazeloin and the group were thrust into a vision of the Heroes, telling them of their original expedition into the dwarven halls and the unspeakable evil that resided here. The final words from the vision were “It comes…. Run, Run!” As soon as they awoke from the vision, they heard shrieks of terror from down the hall, and Madeus sensed that a massive amount of Undead Soldiers were approaching them from all sides. Knowing that death was quickly approaching… the group stood their ground, fighting their way through wave after wave of undead until they found themselves in a large antechamber, where lay the remains of a massive dragon. Inside the bones of this creature sat a Hydra, the most fearsome foe our heroes had met to date.

A climactic battle ensued, in which the Hydra displayed its prowess with the Ice element, attempting to freeze the warriors and eat them alive. Finally, after a desperate struggle, the group managed to slay the dreaded beast, calming the Undead in the process. One skeleton approached the group, wearing a Holy Symbol of Pelor on his neck. This symbol, the group determined, must have belonged to Albatros, the Legendary Cleric of the heroes. Brazeloin took it and replaced his symbol with the holy relic. They group hurried out of the room, arriving in a smaller room, with an elevator that seemed to lead up a long mineshaft.

With as strong pull of a lever, the lift began to ascend the shaft with breaknecking speeds. Would our heroes make it out of the tunnels alive, what awaits them on the surface above? And what of Gambit?